Feed-water regulator.



0. E. WILLIAMS.

FEED WATER REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4. 1910.

Patented May 30 and the like, in which a suitable cont-ro OBBEBT E. WILLIAMS, 0F SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

FEED-WATER REGULATOR.

.Speolo'ation of Letters Patent, Application tiled J'une 4, 1910. Serial No. 564,974.

Patented May 30, 1911,

To allwhom #may concern;

Be it known'tllat I, ORnn'r E. WILLIAMS,

a citizen of the United States, and resident -of Scranton, county of Lackawanna, and

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed- Water Regulators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willl enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to feed water regulators for steam boilers, and the object of the invention is to furnish a simple, reliable and yet sensitive regulating device of this kind in which the regulation is effected under small diferences of iiuid pressure and wherein packing glands, stuiling'boxes and similar parts, sub]ect to leakage and wear, are dispensed with.

' In another application, filed of even date herewith, I have described a regulator for dampers,steam valves, feed water purppses mg means builds up and relieves fluid pressure on a loaded piston or diaphragm by restricting and relievin in consonance with the movements of sai controlling means, a coni stantly flowing stream of water or other suitable iuid.` The damper or other device to be `controlled is actuated b the pressure created on the piston or iaphragm, to which such damper or other device is more or less directly connected.

The present improvements relate to the application of a system of this general character, to feed water regulation, and in the resent instance the device to be regulated 1s the water inlet valve in the main feed line of a boiler. The invention is not limited to this particular application however, and may be used to advantage in other connections. n

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a feed water regulator embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 is a section of the float-valve casing at right angles to Fig. 1.

In the drawin 5 indlcates the main feed line or pipe of t e boiler, which is provided at a suitable point with a valve casing 6 in which operates an inlet valve 7 controlling the supply of water to the boiler. Screwed into the upper end of the valve casing 6 is a diaphra housing or casing 8 in which the stem 9 o the inlet valve is guided, and within the main part of said housing is a -diaphragm 10 of any suitable character, to whic the u per end of the valve stem 9 is secured, as s own. A helical spring 11, embracing the valve stem, and reactin against the bottom of the diaphragm cham er urges the diaphragm and valve stem in an upward direction, and tends to hold the inlet valve -7 open.

Leading from the feed main 5 in advance of the inlet-valve is a by-pass pipe 12 consisting of two sections having an interposed strainer 13, and the pipe connects with a valve casin .14 1n which a manually adjusted valvel 1s movable. Said valve casing is connected with a pipe 16 forming a continuation of the by-pass and leading to a float-valve casing 1 which in practice is connected at its upper and lower ends (17* and 17" respectively) with the steam and water spaces, respectivel of the boiler. Leading from the interme iate ortion of the pipe 16 is a branch 18 w ich communicates with the chamber in the upper part of the diaphra housing 8, above the diaphragm, where y the upper surface of said diaphragm may be subjected to pressure of feed water pass.

ing out of the main feed-pipe through the by-pass 12 toward the float-valve casing. A valve seat or bushing 19 is placed at the end ofthe pipe 16 which communicates with said valve-casing, and coacting with said seat is a needle valve 20, mounted on a bracket 20 and operated in any suitable way by a lever 21 pivoted at 21* on the bracket 20 and ,having a terminal float 22. The posi-` tion of the float 22 in its casin is, of course, determined by the water leve in the latter and this'therefore determines the position oi the needle valve with respect to its seat. However, in all of the positions of the fioat the valve is open to a certain extent, to permit a small quantit of water to pass constantly into the oat casin where it mingles with the boiler water a ready there, and eventually finds its wa into the boiler. The lower end 17b of the oat-valve casing communicates by means of an equalizer pipe 23 with the diaphragm housing at a point below the diaphragm, so that the pressure on the latter is somewhat equalized.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows :-The by-pass valve 15 is opened and water passes continuously from the main feed line, by way of the by-pass ipes 12, l@ and valve casing 17, into the boi er. The dlamel away from its seat and admit additionaly ter of the pipes 12, 16 is so chosen, `however, and the by-pass valve 15 is so adjusted, that this flow 1s never eat enough to cause the flooding of the boiler, orin other words, a continuous stream of water of such quantity is always needed in the operation of the boiler. Of course, when the boiler is not in operation this small stream of water may be cut oif by the b -pass valve 15, as will be understood.' Wit the boiler in operation, and water assing continuousl v into the boiler in a smalamount. through t e valve casing 17, the ioat valve 22 will rise and descend in correspondence with the water level in the boiler. When the level is at about the right height, the float 22 will hold the needle valvel 20 at such a distance awayl from its seat 19 that the pressure generated in the upper part of the diaphragm housing and between the restricted passage forme acting against the up er face of the diaphragm 10, is eaterv t an the pressure acting on the un er surface of the diaphragm, and therefore partially closes the main inlet valve. If the water rises a little higher in the boiler the rising of the ioat further restricting the passage 19, `causes a higher water pressure to be generated in the upper part of diaphragm housingV and tends to close vvalve 7 till the amount of water'entering the boiler is shut oil to just the amount required. As soon as the water level falls, however, the float 22 will descend and move the needle valve still farther away from its seat, so that the pressure in the by-pass 12,

16 is relieved and the water may pass through this by-pass more freely. A correpondlng decrease of pressureon the upper vlaphragm face is therefore produced, and such pressure is reduced to nearly equal that acting on the lower diaphragn'rface, so thatl the spring 11 can move the valve 7 farther water to the boiler through thel feed main. The water passing through the by-pass is strained by the strainer 13, which revents impurities from entering and fou ing the regulating device. As soon as the water in the boiler reaches the proper level again, the needle valve 20 will close to suchl an'extent as to create suilicient pressure on the upper diaphragm face to partially seat the valve vagainst the action of its spring, whereby the main feed is suiiciently restricted to hold the-water at its proper level, and the water still passes through the byass continuously.

The fact thatv the need e valve does not contact, inthe normal o eration of the device, `with the restricte controls, is an important eature of the invention, as the stlcking of the valve, which is a great disadvantage of *the ordinary devices of this kind, cannot take place. The

apparatus does'notoperate under great difneedle common in nearly al other feed water regulator, and -it ne on s with 'remarkable quickness to the sma lest varia- (passage 19 and therestricted by the by-pass valve 15, and` assage which it ceases ferencesof ressure e. g., such -as are `lpreduced by ex austing high pressure steam or water at boiler or feed lme pressure into the atmosphere, thus elimination the .cutting o;

tions requiring regulation It is of considerable advantage to have thesmall stream of water to operate thefluid ressure valveactuating devicepass into t e boiler from the main feed line, as indicated, because this simplifies the vvconstruction and operation of the apparatus and there isv absolutely no waste of water; but `so far as the `broader aspects of the invention are concerned,`such stream may be sup lied from a different` source and it may ikewise be disposedof differently.

The means for communicating a iuid pressure equal tothe boiler pressure to the underside of the casing or housing containing the diaphragm of `the main inlet valve Viz., the equalizer portant feature, asit is impossible to discharge lthe water usedtfor operatingl said main valve into the boiler without the pressure under the diaphragm .to balance the boiler pressure, thus allowing excess pressure in the feed line to operate the valve and then dischar e water into the boiler. As heretofore in icated, the main inlet valve as well as the needle valve is always morel or less open when theeboiler is in operation.

This prevents the sudden and often repeated shocks to the piping caused by the frequent shutting oifof the water supply as is the case in other feed water regulators. Only in pipe 23 is anv im-' case of the boiler ceasingto evaporate water will the main inlet valve be entirely closed, and in this event it will be closed automatically by the water rising slightly above normal. If the byass valve 15 is not closed when the boiler 1s out of service the water will continue to rise slowly untilfthe float reaches'its extreme upper position, when the needle valve 20 will close and thereby arrest the flow completely.

In order to facilitate access to the parts in the oat casing 17, for inspection, repairs and the like, said casn is formed in two separable sections 17, 1 as shown, which are connected by means of bolts 17 d. In this lway, the casing need not be removed bodily from positionwith respect to its connections when it is desired to inspect the interior mechanism.

-It is to be understood that I have not attempted lto describe the numerous modifications of the apparatus vthat may be made without di essing from my inventive idea,

the scope orwhich is defined in the claims.

What I claim is 1. Thecombination with the main feed line of a boiler, and an inlet valve therein,

of means to operate said valve, comprising a dia hragm subjected to pressure generated rom a constantly flowing streamA of Huid, and means to control automatically the valve operating pressure by changes of conditions attendant on the operation of the boiler.

2. The combination with the main feed line of a boiler, and an inlet valve therein, of a diaphragm to operate said valve, con-I nections for a constantly lowing stream of fluid acting on said diaphragm, a'nd means to restrict the flow of such lluid and thereby build up pressure on said diaphragm.

3. The combination with t e main feed line of a boiler, and an inlet valve therein of a liuid ressure device to operate said valve, acte on by fluid from a constantly flowing stream, and means operated by changes of water level in the boiler to restrict such stream of fluid to varying degrecs.

4. The combination with a valve operating fluid pressuredevice comprising a diahragm, of connections for a constantly owin stream of fluid havin access to said diaphragm, the diaphragm ing loaded by the restriction of the How, and controllin means to restrict the flow of fluid.

5. T e combination with a controllin means operated by changes of water leve, of a fluid pressure valve-operating device comprising a casing and a diaphragm therein, connections for a continuous flow of Huid, arranged to create pressure in said casing as the flow of uid is restricted, and

flow-restricting means operated by said controllin means.

6. T e combination with a valve operated by fluctuations of water level in a boiler, of a fluid pressure device to operate the main feed valve of the boiler, acted on by a constantly flowing stream of fluid restricted, without total stoppage, by said valve.

7 The combination with a valve operated by fluctuations of water level, of a regulating device comprising acasing and a pressure element therein, and connections to supply a constantly flowing stream of fluid, controlled by said valve and arran ed to produce pressure on said pressure e ement in pro ortion as the flow of fluid is restricte by said valve.

8. The combination with a valve operated by iuctuations of Water level, of a regulating device comprising a diaphragm acted on by pressure enerated by the restriction of a constant ow of fluid by said valve, and a boiler inlet valve operated by said di aphragm.

9. The combination with the main feed line of a boiler, and an inlet valve therein, of means to.divert a continuous stream of Water around the valve and into the boiler,

a diaphragm to o rate said inlet valve and l accessible to suc stream of water, and means to restrict the flow of water as called for by conditions iu the boiler and thereby build up and relieve the pressure on1 said diaphra 10. line of a boiler, and an inlet valve therein, of a by-pass around said valve, a fluid pressure operating device for `said valve in said by`pass and subjected at one side to the pressure therein, and means to subject the other side of said iiuid pressure device to the boiler pressure.

11. The combination with the main feed line of a boiler, and an inlet valve therein, of a by-pass around said valve, a fluid pressure operating device for said valve in said #kombination with am man fa by-pass and comprising a diaphragm subjected at one side to the pressure in the bypass, and means to subject the other side of the dia hragni to the boiler pressure.

12. T e combination with the main feed line of a boiler, and an inlet valve therein, of a by-pass around said valve, a casing or housing in said by-pass, a diaphra in said casing or housin and connecte with said inlet valve, one side of said dia hragm being subject to the pressure in the yass, and means to subject the other side o the diaphragm to the pressure in the boiler.

13. T e combination with the main feed line of a boiler, and an inlet valve therein having a stem, of a by-pass around said valve eading to the boiler, a casing or housing in said by-pass, and a diaphragmn said casing or housing directly connected with the valve stem.

14. The combination with the main feed line of a boiler, and an inlet valve therein, of a by-pass around said valve leading to the boiler, a fluid pressure operating device for said valve in said by-pass, and a strainer in said by-pass in advance of said fluid pressure device.

15. The combination with the main feed line of a boiler and an inlet valve casing and valve therein, of means to operate sai valve comprising a diaphragm subjected to pressure generated from a constantly flowing stream of fluid a casing having connections with the boiler and diaphragm, and means mounted therein to control automatically the valve operating pressure by changes in the boiler water level.

16. The combination with the main feed line of a boiler, having an uninterrupted ilow of water therethrou h, of means for varying the volumeV of ow according to changes of conditions attendant on the operation of the boiler.

17. The combination with the main feed line of a boiler, having an uninterrupted flow of water therethrough, and a valve therein to vary the volume of flow, and

means. to change the osition -of said `valve by ressure generate -from aconstantly fiowm stream of fluid, and means to control the va ve operating ressure automatically by changes 1n the boi er water level. l'

18. The combination with the main feed line of a boiler, having an uninterrupted How therethrough, and a `valve therein to vary the volume of flow, of means to operate said valve, without closing, 4comprising a diaphragm subjected to pressure generated from a constantly flowing stream of fluid, and means. to control automatically the ,valve operating pressure by changes in the boiler water level.

19. The combination with the main feed line of a boiler, and an inlet valve therein, of means to positivel o erate said valve to increase or decrease t e 0W of water in said feed line, said means being operated by preseoaeae sure generated from a constantly owing stream `of fluid, and means to' control the valve operating means by .changes in the boiler water level.

20. 'lhe combination with the ymain feed line of a` boiler, and an inlet -valve therein, of means to positively o erate said `valve to increase or decrease the ow of water in, said feed line, saidA means comprising a gliaphragm subjected to pressure generated from a constantly flowing stream of fluid, and means to control the valve operating ressure by changes in the boiler water leve In testimon whereof I aiiix my signature,

in presence o two Witnesses.

ORBERT E. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

ALMA M. LOVERING, HUGH B. ANnREws. 

